A resource for living a healthy, stress free life.

You are trying to begin anew in a new year. You know it can be done! But then you think, I am so overwhelmed! I just can’t do anymore! I give up!! The push and pull of the world around us can, at times, seem to be too much. But how can we move forward? How do we just STOP in this moment and turn things around?

First and foremost, ask for help! So often a request for help can lead to, not only the relief you need, but maybe even a deeper friendship or new friendship from those who volunteer to help. A friendship, a beautiful flower to add to your bouquet.

Have you made a list? This will organize you. Seems so easy and yet so under utilized. Crossing that first accomplishment off can be very rewarding as well as make you see that you can accomplish the tasks at hand. This will lighten the load as you walk your path this day.

Give yourself some credit. Now lets really look at the list you have made. What is so urgent? Yes, your family needs to be clean, fed, have acquitted housing and clothed. But, will cutting back on those chores or extras in life minimize the love you all share? If the dusting is waiting another few days or the car is a bit untidy, your nails aren’t done or your roots are showing…what will happen?

Stop apologizing! You are hard working, caring and loving. You accomplish so much in a day and THAT can also be on your list. If something urgent took the place of a task you intended to do, add the item that was accomplished! Recognize the accomplishment! You put out another fire that came your way. There is no need to apologize if something was left undone.

Praise someone for all they have done. Sometimes a little pat on the back can be a HUGE reward! They in turn will notice all you do as well. My husband thanks me for dinner. That means a lot to me. I thank him for cleaning up. These are the jobs we must do every day. But somehow, that Thank you makes me look at the flowers along my path and I look forward to another day.

Keep in perspective all you have given and all that was given to you in a day.

You are not flawed.

You are not super human.

The people around you are just a overwhelmed as you, so you know that you are not alone. Walk along your new path today seeing the bouquet of flowers that you have created.

If you are still overwhelmed, read the Parable of A Cracked Pot.

The Parable of A Cracked Pot – Author Unknown

A water bearer in Babylon had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it up a bit.

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I put it to good use. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table.

Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

The moral of the story: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. In this world, nothing goes to waste. You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Remember, nobody is perfect.

“We don’t aim to be 100% better at 1 thing, but 1% better at 100 things.”

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